7 - The Devil Among Us
by Typhoon73
Summary: Jane and Maura know each other since school and recently started a serious relationship. While Jane is at BPD, she's having emotionally a hard time after an incident that changed her life while Maura is trying to find a job as ME when the two are suddenly involved in a case. Written in Jane's PoV. No Hoyt or Rockmond in here, though. Rizzles! THIS IS NO SCHOOL FANFIC!
1. Chapter 1

I'm sitting in a small cozy cafe in the downtown of Boston, lost in thought.

Maybe I should introduce myself first.

My name is Jane Rizzoli and I was born and raised in this city. Presumably, I will die here too, but that is still written in the stars.

At the moment I wouldn't mind a change of location.

I work with the BPD, Boston Police Department, but at the moment I am not able to do my job diligently. I don't really wanna explain why.

I'm twenty-five years old, I'm quite successful in my job and in private I have also made the big deal.

I have a really promising relationship with my best friend Maura Isles, whom I know from my schooldays.

"Hello, sweetheart, I have good news."

I blink a few times and turn my head. Speaking of the devil.

Maura beams broadly at me as she sits down opposite me and her appearance once again takes my breath away. I still can't explain what she sees in someone like me, but I won't push my luck and get to the bottom of it, otherwise, I've had a promising relationship with her for the longest time.

I quirk an eyebrow and sip my coffee. "What happened? Don't keep me in suspense."

She also orders a coffee and still grins at me. "I just got a call from the New York office of the Medical Examiner and I have a job interview here in Boston today."

I force myself to smile and have to swallow hard. "So you get a chance here?"

Her smile twitches for a fraction of a second. "No, in New York, maybe."

I force myself to smile, after all, I don't want to be a stick-in-the-mud."That sounds great."

No, not really, but I certainly will not stand in their way. After all, New York is not at the other end of the world. Maybe that's the hopped change of location.

The big smile is back on her lips. "I'm excited, darling, we could afford a small house, maybe in a suburb, would not that be fantastic?"

I lick my lips and nod slowly. A suburb is not what I've imagined. "Yeah, that would be great, Maura, you'll make it, I'll keep my fingers crossed."

Maura skids a little in her seat and looks down at herself. "What should I wear? Should I wear something modest and professional or something casual? What do you think?"

Really? Does fashionista Maura Isles ask me what to wear for a job interview? Me? Jane Rizzoli, who would like to go to a four-star restaurant in jeans and a shirt? I reach over the round table and take her hand in mine. „No matter what you wear, you gorgeous."

Maura beams broadly and squeezes my hand. "That's cute." She looks at her watch and frowns. "I have to go again."

"Okay," I whisper as she gets up and collects her things.

She circles the table and leans down to me. "Bye," she whispers, smiling before she kisses me.

"One more," I say pouting and my girlfriend rolls her eyes before she kisses me again. "Knock their socks off, Maura."

She turns her head and raises her hand in farewell but then she greets her good friend Lena O'Neil, who enters the cafe.

I roll my eyes as I see the other woman. Not because I can't stand her. On the contrary, I am also friends with her. It is only -

"Hi, long time no see," Lena says while she's sitting down on the vacant chair and I nod smiling so I can't growl. How are you? How's the grieving going?"

I raise my cup and freeze at the question while Lena's blue eyes are piercing me. „Better. Much better. Since I've been dating Maura things have gotten better. She's good for me. "

"I believe that," the woman says, leaning back in her chair. "Maura is a great person, and I'm not just saying that because we're friends. She has a strong personality, warm and valuable, but also vulnerable. Treat her well."

"I will," I sigh and set my jaw briefly. "That's what I promise you. She's the best thing that has ever happened in my life."

„And what about your nightmares," Lena asks and raises her brows.

I set my cup down and avoid eye contact. On days like this, I hate to have a psychologist in my circle of friends. „Most of the time I'm sleeping well, I'm almost back to my old self. "

"Good to hear. To be honest, I had my doubts. Surviving such a serious traffic accident and seeing your best friend die is a great challenge to both, body and soul."

You don't say! I almost forgot if you hadn't reminded me. "That's why it's good to talk to Maura. We talk a lot. She understands. Tom was her best friend, too."

Lena nods slowly and frowns as she leans forward. "And what about Justin? Are you back in touch? Would you consider forgiveness?"

"No, I can't forget how irresponsible he had been," I growl, pushing my cup away. "He didn't tell us he had some drinks. He should never have been driving."

„Of course, he shouldn't have been driving after drinking. Especially with Tom and you in the car. You should try to get rid of that anger. Don't rack your brain about whose to blame. It would be a pity if a long-term friendship ends. "

I press my lips together and close my eyes briefly. Usually, I'm not a vindictive person, but I just can't get over this one night. "I think you're right, but every time I think about Justin I wanna beat him up."

"Then why don't you just do that," asks the normally so thoughtful psychologist. "Maybe you both feel better afterward."

I have to grin a little and furl my brows. "This comes from the psychologist who normally despises violence?"

Lena shrugs and holds my gaze. "Sometimes you just have to be pragmatic."

"Okay, are you the referee then?"

Lena laughs heartily and I smile a little. "Hooray, your sense of humor is back. A good sign."

"I'm in a good mood today," I reply and shrug. "Maura has a job interview today for a job in New York."

„Great. Why don't we have dinner, us three? I promise no therapy talk."

"Yeah, sure," I agree and empty my cup. "Then we can toast the future Chief Medical Examiner of New York."

"Yes," Lena laughs and gets up slowly. "I have to go, work's calling. It was good to see you."

I nod and smile as she squeezes my shoulder before she disappears again.

I bury my face in my hands and groan. I like Lena, but sometimes it's unbearable when she's in work mode.

"Hey sweetie, how are you?"

I cringe when I hear the more than familiar voice and drop my hands.

What is happening today? Are they all following me?

However, I don't need this conversation.

I look into green eyes and don't smile. "Fine. You?"

My ex-girlfriend Sarah Beasley smiles seductively as she sits down. "Not so good ... I think a lot. About you ... about us!"

I rub my eyes and exhale slowly. "Sarah, please, stop that."

"I know I made a mistake, but I've changed, I'd like to see you again."

"And I'm sure that Maura wouldn't like that!"

Sarah scowls at me. "It breaks my heart, again. Like it or not, I still love you."

"Sarah, stop," I state warningly. "It's pointless, I'm with Maura and I love her more than anything."

Something changes in Sarah's behavior and also in her eyes. "Of all the sluts you've chosen this one. It's so typical." At school, she had twisted every guy's head and you all were so stupid. You deserve better."

„Sarah please stop! Maura and I are happy!"

„So were we. We were more than happy! I feel so lonely without you."

I close my eyes and shake my head. „We are done, Sarah."

„Fine," she hisses and gets up. „You're such an idiot."

I chuckle and wait until Sarah has left. I don't want to give her the impression that I'm running after her.

I just wanna go home and lock the door and go to bed. That was enough for one week.

First Maura. Okay, I never mind seeing her, but what bugs me is the fact that she considers taking a job in another state. Then, Lena, I guess she didn't drop by by accident. She knows where to find me when I miss our appointments. And now my ex-girlfriend. I just hope that my mother won't be calling me.

I growl low when my phone starts buzzing in the pocket of my jeans and frown deeply because it's an unknown number. „Rizzoli."

"Hey," replies a strange male voice.

I stop abruptly and blink against the sun. "Who's there?"

"My name is Peter, Maura's ex-husband. Didn't she mention me?"

I scoff and close my eyes for a moment. "Yes, she has."

Yes, Maura and I lost sight of each other for a short while and during this time she had married a social parasite called Peter Hess.

"I hope she praised me in the highest regard," the scumbag laughs and I grit my teeth. "Seriously, you're her new lover, aren't you?"

"What do you want from me?" I hiss and am about to hang up.

"I need her new number, I need to talk to her urgently."

"What is so important?"

"It's about palimony."

This guy is kidding me, right? I shift my weight from one foot to the other and lick my lips. „You won't get her number from me."

There is a brief silence. „Are you kidding me? I'm currently on the dole. I have to beg for every crap ... Either I'll get that money or I'll sue Maura."

I roll my eyes and furl my brows. "Many people are worse off than you, so stop complaining."

"I want her new number!"

"I couldn't care less what you want," I reply and hang up.

I shake my head and decide to pay someone a quick visit instead of hiding at home.

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"What's up," I ask, smiling broadly as I'm looked at with disbelieving eyes.

"Hey," Nina says with a big grin as I enter BRIC, even though I'm not supposed to be there. "you are still alive."

I shove my hands into my pockets and shrug. "It's nice to see you, too." I nod on the screen of her laptop. "What do you do?"

Nina quickly closes the device and pulls down the corners of her mouth. "I'm just trying to design a logo for my blog." She stops and looks at me. "Isn't your girlfriend a great illustrator?"

I roll my eyes and push her a bit. "We broke up more than a year ago, but I'll ask her anyway."

"Great thanks." Nina slowly gets up and goes to the coffee machine. "Do you want a coffee too?"

"No," I reply and wave. "I already had more than enough for a day."

"What brings you here, do you want to convince Cavanaugh that you're fit for duty again?"

"No, I just wanted to see a friendly face."

"And you come to me, what about Maura?"

I roll my eyes and sit on one of the many desk chairs. "Has a job interview today."

"Nice."

"Not really, a job interview for a position in New York."

"Oh," Nina breathes and makes a face. "But better than if her education is for nothing, right?"

"Of course," I sigh and run my hand through my hair. "I mean, Maura is brilliant. It would be a waste of her talent if she did not work as a ME, I just thought-"

"That you could work together," adds Nina when I trail off.

I nod vehemently and furl my brows. "That's selfish, isn't it?"

Nina rolls her cup in her hands and shrugs. "I can understand. Maura knows you better than anybody else, and you've been through a lot, and you aren't together that long."

I lean back and exhale slowly. "I mean, she's my best friend, my soulmate, but I don't know if our relationship survives a long-distance relationship."

Nina looks at me for a long time and I see the concern in her eyes. "Did you tell her that?"

"I don't want to stand in her way."

"Jane -"

"Look," I say, getting up. "It was great to see you again, I don't want to keep you from working."

"Jane -"

I stop abruptly and turn back to her. "I'll talk to Sarah about your avatar thing. What's it supposed to be?"

Nina's shoulders slump. "A wolf."

"Really?"

"Yes, why?"

"I thought more of a cheetah or a gazelle. Something graceful. But a wolf?" I chuckle as I hear her laugh and raise my hand goodbye.

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I'm sitting on the couch at home in old sweatpants and a worn BPD shirt, thumbing through an older photo album.

This album contains memories of my school days and friends with whom I really should get in touch again. Now I have the time for that.

Back then, I always used my work as an excuse to avoid going to alumni reunions and realizing that Sarah was simply not the right woman for me.

Sarah is a great woman. She is quick-witted and sexy, and unpredictable. We had a great time, no doubt about it.

However, she had used my work as a cop as an excuse to start a fight with me and since we are both people who don't back down, these fights have become very heated.

One evening our neighbors even called the cops and I had to explain to my colleagues that neither she nor I had become physical.

That was a very unpleasant situation, especially for me at work.

Still, Sarah is a woman who judges people by appearance rather than by personality.

I didn't get along with that and the fact that she had cheated on me with a man from a different precinct.

The night I found out, I went to Maura's. I had no ulterior motives that night, just wanted to get drunk with my best friend while we were pouring our hearts out to each other.

Well, then one thing led to another.

However, we didn't head straight into a new relationship with each other back then.

After having sex with each other, we talked about how sensible people talked about it. Of course not immediately afterward.

At that time I was afraid that it would ... be weird when we saw each other, but that was not the case. We were just two adult women who had one ... let's say fairly complicated relationships behind us and had to relieve some stress.

The feelings we have today for each other have slowly but steadily built up.

I look up as I hear that the front door is unlocked and look at my wristwatch when my girlfriend enters the apartment. "Oh crap," I gasp, frowning deeply. "I didn't realize it's already that late."

Maura raises her eyebrows, takes a deep breath and drops her briefcase in front of the sideboard with an unreadable expression on her face.

I swallow hard that is something very uncharacteristic for this tickler for order. "You didn't get the job, did you?"

She doesn't answer me, goes into the kitchen, opens a cupboard, takes out a wine glass and fills it with her favorite wine.

"Oh, baby," I say, following her into the kitchen. "Maybe it shouldn't be that you work in New York."

Maura watches me for a long time and tilts her head a little. "Do we have any leftovers of your mother's lasagna?"

I blink a few times and look at her with a toothy grin. "I can order pizza."

She rolls her eyes and takes a long sip from her glass. "Yes, please."

I grab my phone from the kitchen counter and nod with pursed lips. "Okay, the usual?"

Why am I asking? I already know the answer.

Maura braces herself at the counter and frowns deeply. "You seem to be relieved?"

I do not look at her and lift my shoulders. "You do not work in New York, to be honest, I was not a big fan of the thought, so now I can spend some more time with you." I raise my eyes and furrow my brows as my friend silently looks at me. I can see exactly that something is occupying her. "Maura, what is it?"

Maura sets down the glass and licks her lips. "I got the position."

I blink a few times while I'm sure that my heart has stopped beating right now. "That's great, right?"

She smiles a little and nods. "Yes."

"There is something else."

"I have to go to New York tomorrow."

Okay, I am amazed by myself that I do not fall over dead as she says that. "Permanently?"

Maura is now swallowing hard. "I don't know."

I put my phone back on its side. The pizza order is long forgotten when I go to her and run my hands down her arms. "Then we have to make tonight unforgettable."

Maura leans her head as I start kissing her neck. "Yes, we have to," she sighs and slips her hands under my shirt.

I pull her closer to me and look at her. "We can order pizza later."

She chuckles as I take her hand and pull her towards the bedroom, but then she stops abruptly. "Wait."

No, I don't want to wait after learning that my girlfriend will move to another city already tomorrow.

I furl my brows when she walks to the fridge. "What is it now?"

"We need something to toast," replies the love of my life and grins broadly as she row fetch a bottle of champagne from the fridge.

I grin mischievously and let her pass me. "I've been wanting to sip champagnes from your belly button for a long time. And other places."

"Jane," Maura chuckles.

"I'm serious," I reply in a deep voice, grinning broadly. But then I growl when she turns her head and bites her bottom lip.

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**The ****storyline**** has****n'****t left me for quite a while.**

**It's a slow start, but I hope you like it.**

**Of course, you can share your opinion with me.**

**Have fun,**

**T73.**


	2. Chapter 2

I'm growling and trudging to the front door while someone impatiently knocks on it. "Yes, I'm coming," I hiss as I open the said door and freeze instantly.

A tall man in my age enters the apartment without hesitation. "I had to see you, otherwise this silence will kill me. Would you talk? If not then that's okay, I'd understand -"

I let the door close again and furl my eyebrows. "Good morning, Justin. Please come in. I don't know what to say."

He turns to me and looks long at me with his gray eyes. "How are you?"

I cross my arms and take a deep breath. "Quite good. Had therapy. It helped a bit."

"Sounds good. Maybe I should do that too."

"I can only recommend it."

"I hope so because I can never forgive myself, however, I have to live with it for the rest of my life."

"It's not just your fault," I sighed while walking to the coffee machine. "You're not the only one to blame, so ... maybe we could-"

My erstwhile best friend nods slowly and runs his hand through his ash-blond, short hair. "Just tell me if you think you can stand me."

I smile weakly and brace myself on the kitchen counter. "Okay."

Justin hesitates and clears his throat. "See you."

I open my mouth to say goodbye and roll my eyes as my cell phone begins to buzz.

I'm sure that it's my mother who worries about me since yesterday and starts to bombard me with texts until I finally answer.

I open the message and my heart stops beating while the blood in my veins runs cold. "What the hell," I whisper harshly.

Justin turns back to me and furls his brows. "What is it?" He comes closer to me when I don't answer immediately. "Jane?"

My eyes shoot up and I swallow hard. "I just got a weird text," I say in a low voice, turning the screen over to him.

The sender's number is unknown and the message reads: _On the seventh day, thou wilt kill. Because every man kills what he loves._

Also, the text shows a picture of Maura sitting in a cafe in the airport and sipping a coffee without noticing that she is being photographed.

He blinks a few times and frowns deeply. "Maybe that's just a joke."

"But what if not," I ask, panic rising in me. "A joke, I mean."

Justin raises his hand reassuringly. "Someone is certainly trying to drive you crazy, erase it and that's it."

"But a picture of Maura is pretty weird, especially because she's at the airport right now. She's on her way to New York for a job."

"Do not worry so much. Somebody's trying to upset you with a bad joke."

I start to chew on the inside of my cheek and furrow my brows. "Maybe it's her stupid ex-husband." I stop breathing when I get a new text.

_And when the lamb opened the first seal, behold a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow, and he went forth conquering, and to conquer evil._

I grow dangerously low and type:_ Stop that nonsense, you sick maniac!_

I cringe when my phone starts to ring and my display tells me that it's an unknown number.

I take the call and open my mouth to give it to Peter straight.

I turn into a pillar of salt when a distorted voice suddenly says, "Hello, my friend. So that you understand what I think and what I do, you have to feel what I feel. She is the way and she is life. She is love and she is death. I place her fate in your hands, follow me and you will save her. You have seven days. Seven! "

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Justin says as I stare at my phone with a white face after the conversation ends.

"Yes," I say slowly, looking at my former best friend. „Listen, I'd like to talk more but I have to ... go. "

"Oh," says Justin, a little surprised. "okay. Um, get in touch with me if you have time."

"Yeah, sure," I reply as I go to the bedroom door and Justin to the front door. "See you."

Justin looks at me questioningly and nods. "Yeah, see you, Jane."

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"Do you have a minute? I need your help," I say unceremoniously as I enter BRIC. It has its merits if not every one of your colleagues is an asshole.

Nina's head whirls around and she looks at me confused. "Yes, but cut it short. What's up?"

"I received a death threat and a really strange phone call that intended to scare the shit out of me."

Nina turns to me with her whole body and makes big eyes. "What?"

I lick my lips and cross my arms. "It seems like a really bad joke. Can you try to get the number?"

She takes my phone and starts working her magic. "I can try, but I can not promise anything."

"It's worth a try," I reply, frowning deeply.

It was bad enough that this morning I wasn't able to drive my girlfriend to the airport. Now some jerk thinks it's funny to threaten Maura. He doesn't seem to know with whom he's messing. I'll rip Peter a new one !

After all, I'm Jane Rizzoli!

Nina works furiously on her computer and asks anxiously, "Does Maura know about the death threat?"

I furl my brows and shake my head as I chew on my bottom lip. "No, not yet. She's on her way to New York and I don't want to worry her. It's probably nothing."

"I hope so," whispers my favorite computer nerd.

"Yeah, me too," I agree.

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I enter the floor where Sarah's bullpen is and are now and then greeted by one of her colleagues and asked how I'm doing since Sarah and I broke up. Others eye me with disapproval and I can imagine what my ex-girlfriend has told them about me.

I don't feel the need to deal with Sarah today, but I've never been the one who didn't react when she sent me a short text stating she had to talk to me.

Maybe it's about the details of Nina's avatar. Although I am the wrong person to talk about it. I couldn't care less right now.

I reach Sarah's drawing table and clear my throat. "Hey, how are you?"

The redhead doesn't look up from her current work and shrugs a little. "Depends."

Yes, I once had a weakness for redheads. Until I met Sarah.

Okay, she wants to play games. "On what?"

„What are you offering to appease me? "

I roll my eyes and stuff my hands in my pockets. "Sarah, you know that I've always held you in high regard."

Sarah straightens up and grins at me. "A little more, give me a little more."

My shoulders slump with a desperate sigh. "Can't we just be good friends?"

"How good?"

"Just good."

Sarah watches me like a predator its prey and licks her lips. "I looked at some old pictures last night. You know, from the good old days, we were more than just good friends. Do you remember the amazing hotel in Mexico and what we did all night at the pool?" She picks up her cell phone, unlocks it and shows me an old picture that I had shot, in Mexico at the said pool.

It is not a nude photo or shows her in an inappropriate pose. It just shows Sarah refreshing herself by the pool under a shower.

Okay, I admit it. At that time I had inappropriate thoughts. At that time I was a different person. That's why I blush a little bit now. I've already said it, we had a great time but now it's over. Now I have Maura.

"Do you like that," she asks seductively.

Okay, that's the last straw. "Sarah, please, stop that."

Sarah snorts and throws her phone back on her desk. "Why Maura of all people? What do you see in this bitch? What does she have what I don't?"

Where should I start? Maura is classy, decent, well-educated, beautiful. I could go on all day.

I close my eyes for a second and take a deep breath. "You wanted to talk to me?"

Sarah is silent for a moment and nods. "Let's have dinner, for the sake of old times."

I look long at her and set my jaw. I know that it's not just because of the sake of the old times, but I owe her one because Sarah has agreed to draw Nina's avatar. "Okay, dinner and a glass of wine."

"Great," she says triumphantly.

"But nothing more."

"Kiss my ass."

"I'm sorry, Sarah."

"Yes, me too."

I nod slowly and press my lips together. "Was that all?"

"For now," she growls, turning back to her work.

This is the end of the conversation and I'm on my way to the elevator.

That went just great. I'm not sure if I should tell Maura about that stupid agreement because she can't stand Sarah as much as Sarah can't stand her.

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For lunch, I sit in the Dirty Robber and chew on my burger with relish when someone drops a newspaper on my table. I stop chewing and raise my eyes.

Justin is standing in front of me with a worried expression. "Have you read the newspaper today?"

I lick my fingers and frown deeply. "Nope. Why?"

He opens the newspaper and points to the headline. "Look at this."

I take a deep breath, wipe my hands in a napkin and start to read:

**_Foreman Ralph Karas (45) was deeply shocked when he went home yesterday afternoon from his early shift, stumbling over a dead body. The brutally injured young woman was lying on the green area behind the Lohmeier production hall. The police confirmed in the evening that it is the missing twenty-five-year-old missing Debora Haynes._**

**_The circumstances of her death indicate a religiously-motivated ritual murder. _**

**_Debora Haynes had a plastic bag over her head with which she presumably had been suffocated. Also noticeable was the mark on her skin in the form of the number seven and the attached text referring to the bible: „For there are seven abominations in the heart of man and the blood was sprinkleth seven times before the LORD."_**

"Wasn't she in our class," Justin asks me and sits down at my table. "In the first row on the right. She was suffocated, Jane. With a plastic bag, isn't that cruel?"

I nod in agreement and bite into my burger. "Yeah, it's awful ... But you're right, we were in a class with Debora and she was in the front row. Sarah didn't have a high opinion of her at the time."

Justin's face darkens as I mention the name but he let it go for now. "They write that the number seven was scratched in Debora's skin and that the police found a Bible verse near the body."

I drop my burger on my plate and sip my iced tea. "That's sick, totally crazy."

"Your unknown friend has certainly read the newspaper article too, so he got this sick idea to contact you."

"You mean a kind of copycat?"

"Yes."

"God, I hope because I have a really bad feeling about this. When he called me he said I would have had seven days."

"It's so sick, but such prank calls seem to be the latest trend those days. YouTube is full of such pranks. You better ignore that."

"I think you're right," I mumble, rubbing my left eye with my fingers.

"Definitely."

My phone buzzes once more and I open the text, or what I have thought it's a text.

In reality, it is a video of Debora while she is strangled with the plastic bag.

I take a quick look around and give Justin my phone. "Does that look like a prank?"

"Holy shit," he breathes as he looks at the same video. "That's Debora."

"Yes, I know," I agree with concern.

I really ... REALLY get a bad feeling about this!

I grab my phone and dial Maura's number, to no avail.

Yeah, I'm that kind of genius. Calling my girlfriend even though she's already boarded.

That's why I send the video to my best friend in BRIC. I can't sit around idly.

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"Hey, Nina Wolf lover," I say as I pay my friend another visit.

Nina grins broadly but rolls her eyes. "I should've never told you that wolves are among my favorite animals."

I chuckle and stand next to her. "No, you shouldn't. What do you have for me?"

"Not much, I tried everything, but I couldn't get the phone number, so I tried the IP address."

I grin again and look at her from the side. "Your magic?"

"Exactly," Nina chuckles but sighs at the same time. "I can't pin the phone by its number because they keep turning it on and off, your unknown friend seems to be a wisecracker."

"ROFL," I groan without smiling, thinking of Debora's video. That was not a comedy. "I owe you one, Nina."

"Hakuna Matata."

I stop and turn to her. "Did you just say me Hakuna Matata to me?"

"Would you rather like it if I start howling," she asks back and I shake my head laughing. "Jane, wait."

I'm getting serious again and in fact, I'm stopping dead. "What?"

"I found a hidden file in the video you sent me this morning."

"Can you open it?"

"I can try."

"Work your magic, Nina."

A pixelated image pops up on the big screen and I make sure that Cavanaugh isn't around. "Can you clean that?"

Nina types furiously and frowns deeply. "I can try, but I'll need a few hours."

"Okay," I breathe and place my hand on her shoulder. "Thank you."

"Any time."

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I'm finally back at home enjoying the silent and piece while I'm racking my brain about what this sick bastard, who constantly harasses me with mysterious phone calls and texts, really wants from me. It's not like I'm a public person.

I'm a normal cop who is not even able to do her job right now.

Well, who isn't able for several weeks to do her job, to be honest.

Above all, I wonder where the person got my private phone number from and why he has fixated on Maura at the same time.

I haven't told her about the strange texts and calls yet. I don't want her to be unnecessarily worried. I don't want to be the reason why she'd let a great job slip through her fingers. I could never forgive myself if it turns out that this is just a very bad prank.

Okay, all the evidence suggests that a gruesome killer has contacted me. For whatever reason.

Maybe that's the stimulus that I needed to leave Boston and leave everything behind.

I take a sip of my beer and cringe when my laptop tells me that a video call comes in.

I answer the call and wipe my mouth with a grin as Maura's face pops up and she instantly rolls her eyes when she sees that I've been spilling my beer.

"Really," she asks sternly, raising her eyebrows.

"Hello to you too," I reply and she rolls her eyes once again. "How's New York?"

"Do not distract," Maura admonishes me and I tug n my chin.

"I didn't try to distract you."

It's obvious that Maura crosses her legs and she briefly raises her eyebrows. "It's quite good."

I look at her for a long time and tilt my head. "Enthusiasm looks a little different."

She rubs the bridge of her nose and sighs loudly. "I'm just a little exhausted, I drove straight from the airport to the office."

"Without refreshing yourself," I ask, grinning mischievously when my girlfriend makes a face.

I know that she's a little vain when it comes to her clothes and her body hygiene. On some days she'd like to hop in the shower every few hours.

Personally, I prefer it that way than if she's a litterbug.

She sips her wine and licks her lips. "Yes, without freshening me up."

"And you survived it?"

Maura rolls her eyes again as I smirk. "What did you do all day?"

Oh oh, now I could use a good distraction. I don't wanna be the reason why she can't focus on her work or worse, that she immediately makes comes back to Boston.

I clear my throat and place my elbows on my knees. "Um, Justin came over this morning."

Maura blinks a few times and looks long at me. "And you let him in?"

"Well," I say and shrug. "Unfortunately, I didn't look through the peephole before I opened the door."

"I call that luck," my girlfriend replies, smiling a little. "Did you talk to each other?"

This time I blink a few times and swallow hard. "Yes, in a certain way."

"Meaning?"

"Maura," I say and exhale slowly. "You know it's complicated between me and Justin. You can't deny the fact that he's responsible for Tom's death."

Maura presses her lips together and raises her eyebrows. "You all drank that evening, Jane."

"Yeah, that's why Tom and I said wouldn't be capable to drive," I reply in a high-pitched voice and anger bubbles up in the pit of my stomach. "If Justin had been honest enough to say that he was wasted then Tom would still be alive today because we would have called a cab."

"Justin is not the only culprit, and you know that," replies Maura, and I can see exactly that she's getting upset, too.

Yes, we keep talking about it and in the end, these conversations end in a fight because I just can't get over the fact that Justin was drunk.

Yes, Maura is right, he is not the only culprit. The man involved in the traffic accident that night was himself drunk and had fled from the crash site. If he had helped us instead of running so many things would have gone differently.

I groan and rub my face with my hands. There are so many things I can think about today, but it won't change the fact that we had to bury a good person. "I don't want to argue, Maura."

"Me neither," she agrees and leans a bit forward. "Something else is bothering you."

I hate that she knows me so well. I could tell her that I'm back in touch with Sarah what would incense Maura and I don't want that either.

Maura isn't a jealous person. On the contrary, she knows she can trust me. She knows I'll never get involved with Sarah again no matter how much she tries to seduce me. That doesn't mean that Maura can stand my ex-girlfriend, though.

I'm furrowing my brows and nod. "Yes, the fact that you are over two hundred miles away from me," I lie.

Well, it's not a complete lie. It is only an alternative!

Maura smiles a little. "It's just a couple of days, Jane. They are over in no time."

"Yes, I know," I sigh and empty my beer bottle. "But that doesn't mean that I'm not allowed to miss you."

"I miss you too."

I smile a little and frown. "You should rest a bit. You've had a long, busy day."

Maura nods in agreement and rolls her glass in her hands. "Yeah, you're right. I'm exhausted. You should get some rest, too. You look exhausted yourself."

"Thanks," I laugh and glance briefly down in my lap while listening to my girlfriend's amused laughter. "I needed that compliment now." I still grin and run my hand through my hair while silently watching Maura for a few seconds.

She skids a little in her seat and licks her lips. "Jane, this is kind of creepy right now."

"Sorry," I mumble, sighing again. "Goodnight, Maura."

Maura smiles broadly before she says, "Goodnight, I love you."

"I love you too," I reply before she's ending the video call.

I stare at the screen for a few seconds before closing the laptop, getting up and switching off the lights in the living room and kitchen.

Maura's right. I'm exhausted, too. Not because today I was sitting around idly, but because I racked my brains over someone who had blatantly sent me a video of a murder. At least I think it's a murder.

Yes, I know, it is my job to go to my supervisor and show him the video, but I'm not sure what this is about and don't want to upset the apple cart while my colleagues are busy solving Debora's murder case.

Maybe that's why the bastard has chosen me.

Because it's known that I am currently doubting myself and my abilities.

I turn on the bedside lamp in the bedroom before I pull back the blanket and lie down on the bed after doing my nightly routine.

I stare at the ceiling and wonder when I became a person who can only sleep with lights on.

For crying out loud, I'm a grown-up woman of twenty-five years and not a little kid anymore!

I growl frustrated, turn to the lamp and turn it off again.

Eventually, I have to become my old self again.


	3. Chapter 3

I'm sitting opposite Justin in the Dirty Robber and sipping my coffee while reading the latest text I got this morning at five o'clock.

I rolled around for hours until I finally fell asleep at three o'clock. At five o'clock my phone had vibrated again.

The text says:

_To bring breath to a halt means to bring life to a halt. And on the seventh day, the work will be finished._

After I've read this, I was wide awake.

Justin runs his hand over his stubble and frowns deeply. "God, that sends a chill down my spine. This seems to be more serious than I thought in the first place. Do you really think the person in this video is Debora?"

"I don't know," I sigh and furrow my brows. I'm starting to have a queasy feeling. "

"First of all, try to stay calm, somebody is trying to scare you."

"Well, it's working."

He nods slowly and takes a sip of his coffee. "I can understand it."

I stare at an old spot in the wood of the table before I sit back and look questioningly at Justin. "And then the picture of Maura. what does it mean,? Did she get in the crossfire? And why of all people did he contact me?"

He shakes his head and his frown deepens. "It seems like he wants to threaten you. Make you believe that he knows you."

"So, you think he's a lunatic, a stalker? But I'm just one of a thousand cops in Boston, I don't get his thinking."

"Did you tell Maura," he suddenly asks me, groaning when he sees my meaningful gaze.

"Not yet," I reply, knowing that he already knows the answer. "I don't want to worry her." I raise my hand as he opens his mouth. "I know, I have to tell Maura, but not today."

"Tell her before she finds it out on her own," he says and orders us another round of coffee. "I mean Debora also went to school with her."

"It's weird, isn't," I ask, and furrow my brows. "Why just Debora and why now?"

"Above all, those pretty weird texts that guy sending you," Justin adds, raising his shoulders. "They seem to have some kind of religious meaning."

"Yeah, right," I agree and scratch my chin. "Maybe I should contact our old religion teacher. What was his name?"

"Gates," Justin answers my question. "Mr. Roy Gates."

I tap my temples and smile conspiratorially. "Exactly, thank you."

"I can do that," he suddenly says, shrugging. "I can talk to Gates."

I look long at him and sigh. "I know you mean well, but you're not a cop anymore."

"Technically, you are neither."

"But I still have my gun and badge." I wish I wouldn't have said those words when I saw Justin's painted expression.

After we had the accident he is no longer able to carry on the profession of a cop because in said accident his right knee got smashed. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," he says and waves away. "I will then help you with my wisdom."

"Wisdom," I ask, chuckling as I stand up and place a hand on his shoulder. "Dream On."

Justin grins broadly and raises an eyebrow. "I am a very wise man."

"Footbknowledgeops do not count."

"After all, it's knowledge."

"Thanks for the breakfast," I laugh and raise my hand.

I squint at the sun when I step onto the street and put on my sunglasses.

"Hey, you poster girl," I hear someone call, but don't respond because I assume the guy means someone else. After all, I am not the only woman in this city.

I clench my fists when someone grabs my arm and glare at the man with cropped hair. "What the hell are you doing?" I hiss warning.

"I just talked to you, poster girl."

I instantly recognize the voice and straighten myself up. "Take your hands off me, Peter."

Peter is just a little taller than me and tries to look unimpressed with his brown eyes. "Or what?"

"You'll see, then," I reply, biting my teeth together.

That must have impressed him already because he dropped his hand. "I need Maura's phone number."

I step closer to him and smile a little. "Do me a favor and lick my ass."

He does not move an inch. "Maura's number, now!"

I shift my weight from one foot to the other. "Eh, no!"

Now Peter comes up to me but I do not jump a bit. "Your number, or -"

I'm standing even taller now. "Or what, Pete?"

"Hey, Rizzoli," a uniformed man says as he opens the door to the Dirty Robber and Peter looks surprised just like me. "The BPD is starting to miss you. When are you coming back?"

"Soon," I lie with a grin as Maura's ex-husband takes a step back and eyes me.

"Nice, see you soon."

"You're a cop," Peter asks perplexed.

"What gave me away," I ask back.

"Shit," the intrusive man curses. "I should have known that Maura would be into a dyke like you."

"Watch it," I growl dangerously low.

Peter turns on his heels and says, "I want Maura's number!"

"And I want to win the lottery, but that will never happen," I call behind and one or the other passerby looks at me skeptically.

I drop my hands to the side as my phone starts to ring. I suspect that my crazy stalker is calling now. At least the timing would be right.

I fish my cell phone out of my pocket and brush my hair behind my ear with a smile. "Did you miss me already?"

"Of course," laughs Maura on the other end of the line. "I had to think about you after I woke up."

I almost stumble and clear my throat. I know that this was not a youthful hint. "Um ... Maura, I'm in public right now."

"Too bad," she replies, and I can see her sulking in front of my inner eye, but then her tone changes from playful to worried. "You sound tense."

"It's nothing," I reply, making a face. I'm such an idiot! Maura will able to see through this lie. "Since yesterday Peter, your ex-husband is harassing me."

There is a long silence before she asks, "Peter, what does he want from you?"

I sigh extensively and scratch myself on the back of my head. "He told me something about maintenance payments."

"I think he has lost his mind," says Maura suddenly and I can imagine that she is now going up and down. "He has explicitly waived a maintenance payment, which we have written down, why did not you tell me about it?"

"Because I did not want you to be distracted on your first day," I reply, wanting to slap myself.

"You did not want me to be distracted on my first day," Maura asks me in a high voice and I jump. "Jane, you do not have to decide what distracts me and what does not, I'm the one who was married to Peter, not you."

"I can not understand anyway how you could marry such a bastard," I mumble and shake my head as quiet again rules.

Can not I keep up with my damn opinion?

"Peter is my business," says Maura sternly after a while.

"And you are my business," I reply without hesitation.

Damn it, Jane. Just shut your mouth.

"Jane!"

"Understood," I grumble reluctantly.

"Fine," my girlfriend says domineering and I have to grin like a honey cake horse. "By the way, I got a strange text tonight."

I stop abruptly and do not bother with the older man who almost runs into me when she tells me so. "What text? From whom?"

"Someone who calls himself Forever He claims he has known me forever and that I am the only woman of his dreams, perhaps an unknown worshiper?"

I have a very bad feeling and close my eyes briefly as I hear that.

"Jane, you know that for me you are the one-stop, or," asks Maura when I say no word for several seconds.

I come from my train of thought and furrow my brows. Yes, I know, Maura, can you send me a screenshot of the text? "

"Yes, of course," my friend replies and I can hear the amazement in her voice. "I'll go shopping a bit tonight, maybe I'll find something that will please you."

I open my mouth to tell her that she has nothing to bring me but then I lower my eyebrows as I recognize the ambiguity. "I can not wait."

"Me neither," Maura chuckles but then she gets serious again. "I have to go."

"See you soon," I say and end the call.

I'm still smiling and taking a deep breath as Maura sends me the requested screenshot.

_Behold, thou art fair, my love; _

_Behold, thou art fair; thou hast_

_hazel eyes. Thy cheeks are _

_comely with rows of jewels, thy _

_Neck with chains of gold_

My heart starts racing as I read these words and decide that I will strangle that bastard with my bare hands.

Of course, Maura was confused when she received this text and wanted to know if they would know each other.

_Forever and ever, you most beautiful sight! For as long as you have occupied my heart as _

_a dream!_

Okay, that's the last straw!

I'm going to kill the fucker slowly.

I grit my teeth and decide that I have to go to the gym before I beat someone up who has absolutely nothing to do with all of this!

So, Mr. Gates has to wait.

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I sit on a bench in the BPD gym and take a long sip from my water bottle.

"I've always loved it when you've been so sweaty," I hear Sarah's voice say and I choke.

I turn my head to her and let my eyes wander down on her, which I regret right that moment. "How the hell did you get down here?"

"I took the elevator," she replies playfully and snickers when I roll my eyes. "It happens that my ex-girlfriend works here," she states with a lascivious smile.

I take my towel and wipe my sweaty face with it. "Why are you here?"

Sarah purses her lips and comes closer. I don't miss her extra sway. "Is that how you greet me?"

In the past, I would have taken the bait, not today though. I keep eye contact when she sits down a little too close to me. "Right now, yes."

Sarah takes her time and lets her eyes shamelessly wander down on me before handing me a portfolio. "Consider my latest masterpiece."

I open the portfolio and make big eyes as I look at the hand-drawn avatar of a wolf. "That's ... Wow. Thank you."

"You owe me a dinner," Sarah says with a seductive smile and places a hand on my thigh.

In the past, I would have clear my debt instantly, not caring that we'd be in the BPD.

As I said, in the past.

I get up and hear my ex-girlfriend scoff annoyed. "You know that I keep my word. Again, thank you."

She gets up and straightens her damn tight skirt. "You're a hard-ass!"

"One of my best qualities," I reply, shrugging. Before I know what's happening, she's pressing her lips on mine and for a fraction of a second I'm giving in, but then I come back to my senses and push Sarah away. "Damn it," I bark and wipe my mouth. "What was that, Sarah?"

"I only claim what belongs to me," she says with wide eyes and approaches me again.

"I'm not a fucking thing that you just put aside or give to someone else, Sarah," I say loudly and she swallows hard. "You had your damn chance, and you forfeited it!"

"For crying out loud, I made a mistake once! Just once. You're not perfect, Jane!"

I set my jaw and growl through clenched teeth, raising three fingers. "Three times, Sarah. You cheated on me three times, with three different men. And each one of them worked for the police. Now that I'm in a relationship with Maura, you want me back?"

"I just want one more chance, Jane."

"Unbelievable," I laugh humorlessly and run my hand through my hair. "Fucking unbelievable."

"I still love you."

"And I love Maura!"

Sarah gasps as if I just punched her in the stomach. "You don't mean that."

"Oh, yes, I mean deadly serious about it," I reply with a scowl and she stumbles backward. "I've never been so serious about something in my life. Maura is the love of my life and -" I mumble briefly and shake my head. "And I will marry her someday."

"We'll see," Sarah suddenly yells before she storms off.

I look at her wide-eyed and with open my mouth and scoff surprised. "Unbelievable," I laugh humorlessly. I grab my belongings and groan as my phone vibrates again. Thankfully, it's only Nina who asks me if I can come in.

Thank goodness, I'm already in the building.

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I enter BRIC and furrow my brows when I watch Justin flirting with Nina. "What are you doing here?"

Justin jumps a bit and points at her. "She called me."

"Just because I know you both went to school together," she defends herself as I cross my arms. "I think both of you should see this."

I step closer and hand her Sarah's portfolio. "Okay, show us what you got."

She clicks her mouse a few times and glances at the big screen. "I was able to clean the pixelated image. This is what came out."

"Holy shit," Justin gasps and I drop my arms again. "That's us. That's our class, Jane. There is you, me, Maura, Debora, Sarah."

I get closer to the screen and point at a dark-haired boy in the last row on the left. "Nina, can you blow this spot up?"

"Sure," says the analyst and enlarges the said spot.

Justin raises his eyebrows and looks at me. "He was a weirdo. What was his name?"

I stare at the boy who's staring fascinated at Maura. "Luca," I say almost absent-mindedly. "Luca something. At that time he always slipped those cheesy love letters to Maura. It seems like today he's sending her such cheesy texts via cell phone, calling himself Forever."

"Maura has also got texts," he asks me in surprise.

I nod slowly and chew on the inside of my cheek. "Yes, last night, two."

Justin frowns deeply. "And you think he's the one who murdered Debora and is now after your girlfriend?"

"Quite possibly," Nina says and raises her shoulders when we look at her. "When he's obsessed with Maura, I mean."

I nod slowly and furl my brows. "Can you print the picture for me and search the address of a Roy Gates for me?"

"Who's Roy Gates," she wants to know while typing.

"Perhaps he's someone who can help us with these cryptic texts and tell us what Luca's full name is, and I'd like to talk to him. He's our former RE teacher."

Nina stops typing and looks long and seriously at me. "I also know someone who could help you with those messages."

Justin looks at her with interest.

I turn my head to her. "Who is this person?"

"Maura," she answers emphatically. "Your girlfriend."

Now I shake my head. "That's out of the question."

"Jane, just in case you forgot it. You're not on duty and I could be fired for helping you. I have to admit, I quite like my job."

"I won't risk Maura's life. I'll find someone else who'll help me with this."

"Jane," Justin groans when I make my way out of BRIC.

"What," I ask a little impatiently.

"Nina just told the truth. There's no need to be pissed. "

"I'm not pissed," I reply, pointing at my friend. "I can understand Nina's point of view. I don't want her to get fired because of me."

Nina rolls her eyes and starts typing again. "Wait."

"What now?"

She doesn't answer my question. Instead, she says, "Roy Gates lives in Roslindale, Tyndale Street."

I smile a little. "Send me the address?" I point to her as Nina nods. "Thanks, Nina. For everything."

"No problem," she mumbles with a sigh.

"If we leave now we can be in Roslindale in thirty minutes," I whisper when Justin follows me.

"Rizzoli," says an imperious male voice, and I instantly freeze.

Then I turn around slowly and smile at my lieutenant. "Yes, Lieutenant?"

Cavanaugh comes up to me and looks me dead in the eye. "What the hell are you and Shaw doing up here?"

Justin swallows hard and glances briefly at me.

I blink a few times while searching for a credible answer. "We ... only visit old friends ... who ... happen to work in BRIC."

"Old friends," Cavanaugh asks skeptically.

I swallow hard and nod vehemently. "Yes."

"The next time you visit your friends you either wait for them in the Café or the entrance hall. As long as you're not cleared for duty, you have no access to this floor or this room. Do you understand?"

I swallow hard and nod slowly and in agreement. "Yes, Sir."

"Now get out of my sight."

"Yes, Sir," I say meekly, turning to leave. "Shit," I hiss.

"That was a close call," Justin agrees.

I furl and press the elevator button. "Did you swallow your tongue over there?"

"What? Why?"

I make a face and punch his shoulder. "Because you just stood there like a boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar."

Justin rubs his shoulder and looks reproachfully at me. "Ow!"

I grunt amused and enter the elevator.

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I glance at Justin from the corner of my eye while waiting at the front door in Tyndale Street to open it.

"Stop staring at me," he whispers without moving.

"I just didn't notice that you're already graying."

He grunts with a smile and rolls his eyes, but then he sighs loudly when no one answers the door. "I think we drove here for nothing."

"Yes," I agree with Justin and turn around to leave. Normally, I would say we should wait a little bit longer, but after five minutes it's obvious that Gates is not home right now. "Let's head back."

"I'll drive," he says decisively and reaches out with his hand.

"Certainly not," I laugh and open the driver's door.

"Jane, you can trust me."

"It's my car."

"And you almost killed us, twice."

I look at him with lowered eyebrows. "Get in."

Justin grins broadly and pulls out his cell phone. "At least let me call my wife to say goodbye to her."

I roll my eyes and get into the car.

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**Hey guys, thank you for following and favoriting this story, thought it wouldn't stand a chance. And thank you for your reviews. And yes, I changed the title just a little but the storyline will stay the same.**

**I hope that you'll like this update as well. You are always welcome to share your thoughts with me.**

**Enjoy, **

**T73.**


	4. Chapter 4

Once again, I am sitting in the living room and go through my notes and the printouts of the strange text messages.

Yes, I admit it, in the last few hours I have created a kind of case file. I just need paper, something I can touch.

I close my eyes and rub them with a pained face. The lack of sleep is slowly taking its toll, and also the fact that I just can not figure out who is behind all this.

I hear a key being pushed into the lock and I am most alerted. In moments like these, I curse myself that I have my gun in the gun cabinet rather than in my reach.

I know that it can not be Maura because she's out of town and my mother would have called me a thousand times before she came by unannounced to see if I was buried dead under a pile of empty pizza boxes. So all that remains is for someone to break into my apartment right now.

There will be a nasty surprise for this person.

I get up cautiously and on tiptoe to my softball bat, who stands in a corner on the wall. It's not a gun, but it can keep an intruder in check.

"Jane," asks a more familiar voice.

I sink the bat again and circle the corner with a puzzled expression on my face. "What are you doing here?"

Maura looks at me with the same puzzled expression and answers, "I live here."

"Yeah, but what are you doing HERE, why are not you in New York, you should be in New York."

Maura snorts and puts down her luggage in the hallway. "I missed you too."

I lower my shoulders and never stand in front of my girlfriend. "I'm sorry," I say, placing my hands on her hips and pulling her to my body. "I'm so sorry."

She smiles broadly and wraps her arms around my neck. "I should have called."

I shake my head and lean it down, whispering to her lips. "I love that kind of surprise."

Maura chuckles as I kiss her but the chuckle soon turns into a pleasant sigh.

I pull her even closer and rest my forehead against hers after I interrupt the kiss. "Hi."

Maura looks deep into my eyes and smiles like a little schoolgirl. "Hi."

"I'll bring your luggage to the bedroom quickly and then you can tell me why you're back."

She nods in agreement. "OK."

I'm about to lift two suitcases off the floor when she asks, "Jane?"

I run my brows and look at them. "Hmm?"

Maura looks at me questioningly and points to the coffee table, which is covered with my notes. "Do you work again?"

My eyes fly to the coffee table and I drop the bags again before I scurry to the table and start collecting the notes and prints. "Um ... kinda."

She raises her eyebrows and looks at me skeptically. "Somehow, what does kinda mean?"

I hold my breath and frown. "That's a long story, Maura."

"I have time," she replies, sitting down on our couch, crossing her legs and patting the seat next to her.

I let my shoulders sink and sit down with a sigh. "Tell me why you are not in New York anymore."

"I was homesickness."

I look for their eyes and discover in them something that I can not name. "Maura, please don't tell me you missed such a great opportunity just because you were homesick."

She turns in her seat and places her elbow on the back of the couch, looking long at me. "I ... was on my own. It wasn't the first time I traveled alone to New York or returned to a deserted hotel room after a long day. It never really bothered me because I knew I had a place where my friends were waiting for me. A place I can call home." She stops for a moment and squints at the ceiling. „In the past forty-eight hours, I've realized that I don't have that in New York. That no one will wait for me when I come home after a long day at work. That I have no friends with whom I can go out on the weekend. I realized that I would be lonely again. "

"You wouldn't have been lonely," I say softly and furrow my brows. "We'd have called each other every day and talked to each other via a video chat."

"That wouldn't have been the same, Jane," she replies, tracing my facial contours with her fingers. "I couldn't have touched you, couldn't have felt you-" She stops, sits up, and kisses me tenderly on the lips. "Couldn't have tasted you."

I keep my eyes closed a little longer until Maura's words sunk in. Now I can name what I've seen in her eyes earlier: the fear of being lonely again.

I know that Maura had been unwittingly neglected by her parents and that she had a hard time making friends at school until one day our school friend Debora overcame her doubts and asked Maura if she wouldn't like to join us for lunch.

No, it wasn't me who introduced Maura to our group, that was Debora.

At that time, I was also one of those people who paid no attention to girls like Maura. I was one of those persons who made fun of her.

I was the typical jock who had no problems to make new friends.

In the beginning, I also thought that Maura would be weird. For me, she was a smartass, a nerd, until I got to know her better and learned that these quirks were more a protective mechanism.

After that, I started to get interested in her on a platonic level. I wanted to get to know her better and at some point, she had become my very best friend.

Over time, she became my person. The one for whom I would move heaven and hell, for whom I would go to the other end of the world.

If I remember correctly, that was the time my relationship with Sarah started to head towards a crisis

Not because I felt more than friendship for Maura. No, but because I dropped everything when Maura had a hard time. Of course not when Sarah and I had been intimate with each other.

This relationship had begun to head towards a crisis because Sarah is a notoriously jealous person.

I can't tell how many times she has accused me and Maura of having an affair.

After that, and after she had cheated on me several times, I was fed up to the back teeth.

I exhale slowly through my mouth and tug a strand of hair behind Maura's ear. "I can promise you that you will never be lonely again."

Maura smiles sadly and leans into my touch. "You can't promise that, Jane."

I frown a little and nod. "Yes, I can. Because no matter what happens to us, you'll always have Frankie, Tommy, and my Ma. They'll never let you down because each one of them loves you. You've become part of the family."

She closes her eyes and a single tear rolls down her cheek.

I wipe that tear off and wait until she looks at me again.

She scrutinizes me for a while and takes a deep breath. "You want me to go back to New York, don't you?"

I have to swallow the lump in my throat down before I can say, "Only if you want it yourself. I won't stand in your way, never."

Maura looks long at me and sucks her bottom lip in. I literally can hear the wheels in her head turn.

Before I know what's happening she straddles in my lap and kisses me passionately.

I start to fumble with the buttons of her blouse and hear her moaning when I'm successful, letting my hands roam over her middle to her back.

If I wouldn't know it any better then I'd think that we haven't seen each other for several weeks.

I stand carefully up from the couch with her in my arms and Maura wraps automatically her legs around my waist.

The file on the coffee table is long forgotten.

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Maura and I lie on our sides and stare at each other like two deranged persons.

Suddenly she starts to giggle and I smile broadly. "I missed that," she whispers

I blink a few times and furrow my brows. "You do know that you have left Boston just yesterday -" I pause and roll my eyes. "That you left for New York just two days ago, don't you?"

"It's obvious that I am addicted to you and what you do to me in bed."

"Please," I say with false modesty. "keep stroking my ego."

Maura laughs and hums when she's kissing me. "With pleasure."

My body starts to vibrate as I try to suppress my laughter. "I'm aware of that," I snicker against her lips.

Maura grins broadly and tucks her hands under her head. She scrutinizes me and frowns slightly. "Something is bothering you."

No, not really. I'm lying here in bed with the most beautiful woman in the world.

I turn the corners of my mouth down and shake my head. "Not really, no."

"Jane -"

I intertwine our fingers and look at her pleadingly. I want to talk and think about a lot of things ... but not right now.

I just want to lie here and admire my gorgeous girlfriend, everything else can wait until tomorrow. "Marry me."

Maura's eyebrows shoot up and my eyes grow beyond huge.

Where the hell did that come from?

Yes, in the last few months, I've thought about proposing to Maura ... one day. Not when we're lying naked in bed after we have had sex and can barely think straight.

"Wh .. What?" She stutters beyond surprised.

"I don't know ... I don't know ... I do not know why I said that out loud," I stutter as well and swallow hard. "I mean ... you wanted to know what's on my mind." I vigorously shake my head and furrow my brows. "I ... have imagined this moment on so many ways. I wanted to surprise you with a romantic dinner at your favorite restaurant, wanted to wine and dine you and not popping the question right after we had had sex."

Maura glances at me like I've lost my mind. "You've already planned it all?"

Okay, now I am speechless. Why can't I just shut my mouth for once? "Yes," I say carefully and roll my eyes. "somehow. Look, I don't have a ring right now, but ... I love you with all my heart and I can't imagine a life without you in it anymore. I can't offer you life in the lap of luxury. The only thing I can offer is my never-ending love for you. It would be an honor for me if you'll marry, Maura."

She still looks at me like I'm crazy, opens and shuts her mouth again before she gets out of bed, wrapping a sheet around her body and disappearing wordlessly in the bathroom.

My eyebrows shoot up while I continue to stare at the empty spot where my girlfriend was lying a few seconds ago and wonder what just happened.

I come back from my state of shock, climb out of bed, get dressed in my shorts and shirt and follow Maura into the bathroom. Of course, I first probe if the door's locked.

I see that Maura is bracing herself on the sink and she lets her head hang. "Maura."

"I need a moment," gasps my girlfriend without looking at me.

Okay, I admit that I indeed have the worst timing ever.

Just yesterday I told her that her ex-husband is harassing me and that he wants money from her. Not to mention the psychopath who's after her and about whom I haven't even told her yet.

Perhaps it's the overall situation. Perhaps that's why I asked her to marry me. A kind of overreaction. I mean, I don't even know if she'll stay in Boston.

I wouldn't be surprised if she would run now.

I approach her a little, frowning deeply. "Maura, please talk to me?"

Maura inhales profoundly through her nose and exhales slowly through her mouth when she looks at my reflection. "Do you just want to marry me because Peter showed up and you're afraid that I'm going back to him?"

I furl my brows and tuck my chin in. That question is almost offending. "What," I ask in a high-pitched voice. "Of course not. Why would you think that?"

She looks intently at my reflection and frowns deeply. "Why do you want to marry me then. Because of my family's fortune?"

"Okay," I laugh annoyed. "That's ridiculous! I told you why I wanna marry you." I see that she doesn't quite understand what I'm meaning. "Because I love you, Maura. I didn't fall in love with you because your family is loaded. I didn't fall in love with you because I hope this will give me a better status in society. I fell in love with because you're the kindest, sincerest and most beautiful person I have ever met. " My face darkens when I can't see any emotion in her face. "I'm not like your fucking ex-husband. I'm not with you because of your name, money, or social status. So if you still haven't got that, I'd better grab my stuff and leave. "

I wait a moment and throw my hands up when Maura still doesn't move. "Fuck it, I cannot keep having this fight with you!"

"How am I supposed to believe you," she asks emphatically and follows me into the bedroom. "You haven't been working for weeks, Jane."

I freeze when I hear those words, even though I'm about to get my bag out of the walk-in closet. I whirl around and look at her indignantly. "So that's what this is about? Because I currently can't work my ass off? " I point to myself and growl through clenched teeth. "Did I ever ask you for a single fucking dollar, for fucking a penny?"

She licks her lips and shakes her head. "No."

"No," I agree with her wide-eyed. "I live all the time from the savings I have because I don't wanna be a burden to you. Because I don't wanna be accused of being with you because I'm too lazy to work. I mean I've been working my fingers to the bone all my life, Maura. I learned the hard way that nothing is handed to you in life, you have to earn it." I raise my eyebrows and point at her. "Unlike you."

"I work for my money too, Jane," she replies as furiously as me.

I start tucking my t-shirts into my back. "Yes, but blue-collar workers can't afford to quit a job just after one day."

"I'm back for you," she yells with a hiccup. A tell that she's at the brink of tears

I straighten my back and close my eyes, not glancing at her. That's exactly what I was afraid of. "Then go," I say, my voice is far too calm. "Then go back to New York. Go and fulfill your dreams, and forget me."

"Jane," she gasps.

I press my lips together and shake my head. This plea isn't entirely unselfish.

Maybe I can take Maura out of the line of fire if we break up and when she continues her life in New York or another city even though it'll break our hearts.

Maybe it's the best. Who knows, maybe we'll see each other again in this life.

Maura is way too quiet for my liking but I don't dare to look at her. Only a few hours ago, I promised her that she would never be lonely again and now I urge her to go back to New York so she can fulfill her dreams.

Yes, I know. It's a contradiction in terms, but for me, it's the safest option.

During my training, I learned that psychopaths sometimes completely stop when the object of their desire is out of reach.

Do I believe in it? Not really!

Do I hope that this is happening in Maura's case? Hell yeah! Will I ever stop loving her? No way!

I turn to her and swallow hard when I see her desperately trying to blink back her tears. "I'm sorry, Maura, but it's best for both of us," I croak.

"It's best for both of us both when you leave me, even though you just proposed a few minutes ago," she asks with a bitter undertone.

My God, this woman just won't make it easy for me. So I have to bring the big guns in. "We're hurting each other, Maura, we're arguing about something that - "

"That what," she asks with incomprehension.

I go to her and run my thumb over her cheek. It was never my intention to make Maura cry. At least not because of me. "It's better for you," I whisper when she leans into my touch.

"Please stay," she whispers, looking at me with a look I've never seen before.

I can't describe it, I don't want to be able to describe it. This look is heartbreaking. "Maura," I whisper back.

Maura runs her hands over the back of my neck before pulling my head down gently. "Please," she whispers pleadingly against my lips. "just for tonight."

I can't explain how she' s able to break down my normally so determined resistance with just three simple sentences.

I pull her close into me and press my lips to hers.

One more night can hardly hurt anyone, can it?

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The next morning I try to sneak into my mother's house and make a face as the front door squeaks.

I do have to lubricate and oil this crappy door if I want to keep sneaking into the house.

"Jane, is that you?" The voice of my mother comes from the kitchen.

"Shit," I hiss, suppressing the desire to stomp my foot. "Hey, Ma." The hypocritical joy drips from my voice.

I have a really good relationship with my mother and my two younger brothers, Frankie and Tommy.

My father hasn't been in the picture for a long time and I'm not even sad about that.

"What the hell have you done," barks my mother, storming out of the kitchen.

I drop my travel bag and look at her questioningly. "Who do you mean?"

My mother starts to hit me lightly and I protectively raise my arms in front of my body.

It's not that she indeed beats me. It's more like being pelted with pellets of paper all the time. At some point it gets annoying. "Mrs. Musumeci called me half an hour ago and said that she thought she had to call the police because Maura and you had been arguing loudly last night. "

"Stop hitting me," I demand and make my way into the kitchen.

I go to the coffee maker and grab a cup. Oh yes, good ole' Musumeci. The neighbor next door who has been friends with Ma for years and likes to gossip. There is nothing better than an old biddy.

"Why did you fight?"

"There are things which are not your business."

Ma huffs and crosses her arms.

I roll my eyes and pour myself a cup of coffee. "We broke up."

"What," she asks in a high-pitched voice. "Why?"

I press my lips together and shake my head as I pour creamer into my coffee. "Because it's best. Maura will start a promising career in New York and I'll -"

"And you'll go back to BPD," Ma asks with an innocent look.

My eyes shoot up when I hear the question and furl my brows. "Since when are you so eager that I go back to work? Haven't you been the one who nearly dropped dead after I told you that I'd be a cop?"

"True," she agrees and sits down at the kitchen table. "but I also know that you love being a cop. Since you were walking and talking you spoke of nothing else."

"Really?" I chuckle and sat down to her.

My mother nods vehemently.

"I can't remember that."

"You told us that you want to be a cop since you have been a toddler."

"Worked out quite well."

"Jane!"

"Sorry."

Ma smiles broadly while she shakes her head. "As a little girl, you rarely played with dolls. Instead, you climbed up the highest trees no matter how hard it was. You've been playing cops and robbers with your brothers, or cowboys and Indians."

"Tommy always had to be the Indian," I laugh and my mother slaps my forearm.

"And I had to untie your poor baby brother every time because Frankie and you preferred to play baseball." Ma laughs and sips her coffee.

I'm still smiling and wriggle with my brows. "Yes, Frankie and I have a very short span of attention."

"Nonsense," Ma replies, and I look at her in surprise. "You simply enjoyed torturing Tommy.."

"Yeah," I agree with a grin and wince when she slaps my back of my head.

"Anyway," she adds, becoming serious. "I know how I wanted to convince you back then that the job of a nurse or a retailer is attractive, but you wanted to become a cop so badly. Come on, you also told us that you'd be detective one day."

I nod slowly and pull my eyebrows together for a moment. "Yes, that's what I said then."

"What's changed, Jane?"

I scoff and wipe my nose with the back of my hand. "I've changed, Ma. Life's changed."

"Because Tom is dead and Justin can't be a cop anymore," my mother asks, piercing me with her eyes. "People are dying, Jane. Sometimes life is unfair because people are dying before they can start to live. You, Tom, and Justin grew up together, you went to school together and to the Academy - "

"And then Tom died because of Justin," I growl. "Because he had to drive drunk."

"Would you feel the same way if Tom had been killed in the line of fire?"

"That's different, Ma."

"Why?"

"Because that's the risk of the job."

"For you, the world is just black and white, isn't?"

I look at her questioningly and furl my brows as soon as I hear the question. "Yes, because there's only right and wrong."

Ma slowly gets up with a groan. "And who decides what's right and what's wrong?"

I have a very clear opinion about that. "The law!"

"The law does not determine your whole life, Jane," Ma replies as she refills her cup with raised brows. "There are laws and rules, sometimes you have to break your own rules to be happy."

I blink several times and try not to frown. When did my mother become so wise?

"I can see that you are struggling with something else besides the breakup."

"I hate that you are my mother and that you know me so well."

"It's my job to know you and I'm glad that you finally listen to me," Ma replies, looking at the kitchen clock. "And I'm sure Sean will be relieved when you get back to work."

I breathe out loud and run my fingers over my left eyebrow. "I don't know if I can stay in Boston, Ma."

My mother nods slowly and purses her lips. "Then you have to go and get your girl."

"And get my -" I mumble and chuckle. "This isn't An Officer And A Gentleman, Ma."

"No," laughs my mother. "This is Rizzoli and Isles: Welcome to a completely screwed up world of murder and manslaughter because my two girls have decided to become a ME and a detective."

"That's a damn long movie title, Ma," I say, and it's the first time we have a really good laugh together in a while.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys! Yes, I am finally back. I've had a lot to do in the past few weeks and haven't had time to continue writing.**

**I hope you see this update as a small redress.**

**Enjoy while reading,**

**T73.**

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Sometimes I don't understand the human mind.

Not because I don't have enough education or life experience, but because I sometimes wonder why we feel the need to destroy our environment or to kill each other.

Or what causes someone to stalk a woman and threaten her with texts just to stop when said woman leaves the city on request.

Two years ago, I asked Maura to go back to New York to realize her full potential and her dreams but didn't tell her about the text messages.

For two years I tried to convince myself that my motives were noble, but to be honest I think that my pride was hurt at that time when she had dropped my marriage proposal and reproached me for having selfish motives.

Maybe we would still be together today if I had just put the cards on the table.

I know that Maura would have been scared at first, but even then she wasn't incapable of dealing with it.

I can't say what I thought at the time. I will never know.

After Maura went back to New York, we tried to stay in touch, but life is not like that.

At some point, we both became too busy.

I went back to work and Maura was fully focused on her career.

For two years I haven't received a strange text in which they were threatened her. For the past two years, no human beings have been killed in the same brutal way.

Of course, I also have some contacts in New York to whom I had described the situation and asked them to contact me immediately if there would be murders with the same MO or a similar MO.

In those two years, I didn't even have to leave Boston for that reason, so I say that sometimes I don't understand the human mind.

Somehow it's funny because it's my job to put myself in other people's shoes.

Well, somehow it's my job to understand what someone's motive is to kill another person.

At least I'm glad that Maura is out of focus of a sicko, but the problem is that this crazy man is still out on the street and my colleagues have found no approach to encase him or at least to find out his identity, which causes one or the other sleepless night.

I know that there are people who can spend years cooling down until the instinct to kill returns.

As a homicide detective, I read not corny romance novels but literature.

Whatever. Now I don't want to deal with this right now but rather make sure that I get my overdue coffee dose from the Cafe before I go up to the third floor and I deal again with the not so pleasant side of humanity.

In an hour I will talk to a man whose sixteen-year-old son has disappeared without a trace and then mysteriously reappeared dead. I have the suspicion that daddy has something to do with the dead he is not innocence.

I freeze when I hear a very familiar voice. I would recognize that voice among hundreds. I suspect that my brain wants to play a trick on me because in the last few days I had to think again and again about the source. No idea why.

It's funny, every time I heard that voice my heart stopped, that's what's happening right now, although I know she should be in New York.

I turn around and am sure that I find the source of the voice in the lobby and realize that the person I hope to see is not here.

My heart stops again and my breath's hitching when I see Nina who talks joyfully to a blonde with her back to me.

Not only would I recognize the voice among hundreds but also the figure.

"Jane," says Nina, waving eagerly to join the two of them. "look who has turned up here."

My mouth gets dry as the blonde looks over her shoulder and nothing and nobody exists but us when our eyes meet.

Two years ago, it was the last time I looked into those hazel eyes.

"Maura," I gasp and before I know what's happening I'm standing with them. She always has been like being a magnet I was attracted to, whether I wanted it or not.

Maura has hardly changed, only that she has become a little older what suits her more than well.

She smiles broadly when she spots me and my heart melts. "Hello, Jane."

I don't think much about it and pull her into a hug, whether she likes it or not. "What are you doing here," I ask, feeling Nina rolling her eyes.

Maura chuckles and returns the hug. "That's a very nice welcome."

Yes, I know. Sometimes I'm a clumsy oaf. I take a little distance again and eye my ex-girlfriend more closely. "You look good." It bursts out of me and see that Nina rolls her eyes again. My eyes narrow and I ask, "Didn't you wanna get a coffee?"

Nina shakes her head and pulls down the corners of her mouth downwards. "No, not really."

I blink a few times and Nina seems to understand the hint. "I ... I'll go get coffee."

Maura chuckles again before our mutual friend says goodbye with a hug.

Maura lets her eyes wander down on me and raises her brows when she sees the badge on my belt. "I see you've gone a long way in the last two years."

I also look down at myself and lift my arms a little. "Yes, has cost enough."

Maura understands this hint and licks her lips without replying.

I clear my throat when this silence is immediately unpleasant. "And ... what brings you back to Boston?"

"Business."

Okay, that answers my question but leaves much more open.

"Okay," I say slowly, looking at my watch to signal that this unpleasant conversation has ended. "I should go to work before my lieutenant makes my life a living hell."

"Yes," she replies, trying to smile, but in vain. "I have an appointment myself and you know what I think about tardiness."

I nod slowly and shove my hands into my pockets so I don't pull her into another hug. "It was nice to see you, Maura," I say and start to approach the elevators. I furl my eyebrows when she follows me in the same direction. Yes, I know that you only get to the lab via the elevators, but I thought that she would still wait for Nina.

I press the button and rock on my feet while we wait in silence for the elevator.

I would have so much to tell Maura, but to be honest, I'm afraid I'll admit at a careless moment that I've only broken up with her to protect her. So much for my selfish motives.

I know Maura well enough to know that she was mad at me even then, but such revelation would never be forgiven.

To be honest, that's the main reason why I didn't contact her after Maura went back to New York. It killed me and that's why I didn't get involved in a serious relationship anymore.

Maura was the love of my life, that's why I wanted to marry her even though we hadn't been together for a long time.

When I have been looking at Maura in detail, I noticed that she bears no sign of a wedding ring.

Yes, I know. From this, you can't conclude. That doesn't mean she isn't in any serious relationship, but I'm surprised she's not married yet. No idea who can be so stupid and miss such an opportunity out.

The elevator door opens and I smile at her before entering. "Down," I ask when she follows me again and I'm about to press the bottom button.

"No," replies Maura, looking at the display. "I have to go to the third floor."

I freeze again when she says that.

Why the hell does she want to go to the third floor?

Didn't I get any memo or miss anything that I should not have missed?

I know that we often claim the expertise of an outside forensic expert, or they come here because there is an imbrication in a case, but I would have been informed about it with certainty. Such cases have been wandering over my desk for over a year, but that hadn't happened lately, so breathing doesn't come easy to me right now.

The thought crosses my mind that our unknown lunatic has a little bit ratted off in New York so that they are forced to seek the advice of a department that has already dealt with similar cases.

If that's the case then my information network has failed miserably and that wouldn't be good at all.

At the same time, the thought hits me that this is just a pretext to lure Maura back to Boston. I have heard of such maneuvers many times, but maybe I should just stop watching spy movies. Obviously, they spur my imagination on.

I start to breathe again when the elevator door opens and forces myself to smile. "We can have a coffee later if you have time, and if you want to."

Maura smiles politely and nods. "I'd love to."

I take a deep breath and nod before she's making her way toward my lieutenant's office.

I frown deeply and the uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach immediately worsens.

Frankie comes to me and looks at me skeptically. "What's happening?"

I blink too many times and point in the direction in which Maura has disappeared. "Did you know that Maura is coming to Boston?"

"What," my little brother asks in a far too high voice, frowning deeply. An indication that he knew about it. "No!"

I look long at him. An indication that he is very lucky that we are both at work, otherwise I would wring his neck. "Frankie!"

"After you broke up with Maura we stayed in touch with each other," he says now and I can hear that he has a bad conscience because he kept that a secret from me. "Just because you weren't together anymore it didn't mean that I couldn't be friends with her anymore, Jane. Ma also talked to her once a week."

I don't know if I should be angry, horrified or guilty because my family made a promise that I gave Maura years ago. Or whether I should reproach myself because I couldn't keep this one promise. That I would always be there for her.

Yes, I can't blame my brother for that. He was a better friend to Maura than I had been back then. However, only a platonic friend.

I promised her that I would always be there for her and only sporadically got in touch after I drove back from the airport until the contact was completely broken off.

Why did I do that? I would be lying when I say that I'd broken off the contact only to protect her.

I ... I think I did it so I could protect myself and my heart. Every time I talked to her it broke my heart even more. I had to bite my tongue so I wouldn't tell her that I still love her and start begging her to come back.

Loved, not love.

Oh, who do I try to fool? I still love her, that's why I'm still single.

Somehow I have survived in the last two years, no idea how. Maybe it was the thought that Maura was out of the line of fire. Will that make me happy? Not at all.

"Jane, everything's okay," my brother asks and pulls me out of my train of thought.

I blink a few times and smile weakly, nodding. "Yes, everything's okay,"

I don't have to see his expression, or mine, to know that he does not buy it. I have avoided Maura as often as possible, and when this topic came up, I chickened out and said goodbye.

"You didn't know she was coming back?"

Frankie shakes his head vehemently.

"Okay," I breathe and enter the bullpen.

"Jane, you look a little pale," states my good friend and mentor Korsak.

I ignore his remark and sit down at my desk, rubbing the bridge of my nose because I feel headaches creeping up. "Can you tell me why Cavanaugh talks to a ME from New York?"

Korsak seems to be as stumped for an answer as Frankie and me. He shrugs and purses his lips. "No idea."

I look long at him and frown deeply for the thousandth time that morning.

I don't know why but I don't like this development at all.

The voice in the back of my head tries to explain to me loudly that I'm just overwhelmed by Maura's appearance and that I just overreact after what had happened two years ago.

I mean, two of our school friends were brutally murdered. That was the main reason why I drove her out without her knowing that she has been in a life-threatening situation.

Maybe I'm just paranoid and that bastard has precipitated to another state.

Well, I'm not a person who believes in any form of miracle.

I'm a logical person and my head tells me that we have to be prepared for anything in case the Maura stays longer in Boston.

I cross my fingers and hope for the best.


End file.
